Quote:
Originally Posted by Firefoot
Ivriniel, the word you use repeatedly that really stands out to me is "creepy." Frankly, I'm just not following this one. I hope this isn't terribly offensive to suggest, but how much of your early readings of LotR do you think was influenced by the movies? Because I could see how one might get "creepy" from Elijah Wood's Frodo, always falling down with his eyes rolling back in his head. (Honestly, this is one thing I have always thought the movies got terribly wrong, in making Frodo get far too weak and corrupted far too quickly - he's not terribly admirable even in the beginning of the movies, while I think book-Frodo is far more noble and courageous.)
If I'm totally off base here, let me know - are there other particular scenes than with Bilbo in Rivendell that you got the creepy vibe from early on?
I mean, of course the Ring is going to have gotten some hold on Frodo by now - he's had it for 17 years already, plus gone up against the Black Riders. On the whole, though, he's really still doing a pretty excellent job of resisting the Ring's hold on him. I'd say it doesn't truly get bad until he reaches Mordor. I think the real question is, who would have been better to send? I think it's pretty well established that Hobbits exhibit a remarkable resilience to evil/the Ring. The obvious counterpoint to Frodo is Boromir, who doesn't even bear the Ring but becomes corrupted by desire for it in a matter of months.
Seeing as Frodo literally does as well as it was possible to do and gets as far as anyone can get, I hardly think that you can say covetousness for the Ring is his motivation.
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Hi Firefoot, not it's not offensive, but it's getting there. I appreciate the rest of the post was pitched with some sensitivity.
I first read LotR in 1981, which was the first of over 25 reads. I think I found the Silmarillion a year or two later, which was a tortuous read the first time, but the second and subsequent eight or so reads, have always proven deeply moving. There's always some point at which I usually weep, having focussed on the wonder of another tale. I've read Unfinished Tales, and have the other Tomes, which I try not too hard to immerse myself in. UT is as divergent from the main mythology as I care to wander.
I think most recently, it was really absorbing that Eol forged Beleg from a meteorite, and then discovering, after a good decade in between, how much more empathy I have for Eol (he was -- creepily -- thrown off the cliffs nigh to Turgon's Gondolin, as in a form of vengeance-justice that I had not really absorbed before about the Noldor. I discovered that they were quite -- creepy -- as a race, quite barbaric, in ways.
I do love the Noldor though. A little off colour though they are. After all, Galadriel's voice was "...deeper than a woman's wOnt...." I seem to remember, which conjured.....
images of drag shows - fun as those are - and her possessive, weirdo husband 'Celeborn' who truly throws back to Elwe (who really was a very difficult inlaw, and after all, asking Beren to lose a hand and get a Silmaril as -- dowry -- is further more and more of the same). The Elves, though I still adore them, really had a shadow side, that I submerged in the narrative.
On the other had - Orcs - I've grown more forgiving of. Although, I'm certainly glad I'll never be present at an Orc Shin Dig, where, no doubt, I'd be the main course (although, perhaps a bit stringy at my age, and not tender enough for them. 49, I am, Firefoot).
So - I do - vary my language - away from "Tolkien North" (True North) in enjoyable variations.
So, for example, I'm sure if we washed one of the more sensible, good looking, muscular Orcs, and could manage to keep its breath fresh and manners, somewhat civilised, perhaps I might even consider a mixed-racial marriage.
Enjoy.
I did write the post, after after seeing such retina-burning comments from some of the posters.